anything else; and Daisy liked a most lady-like quietness and propriety in everything in which she was engaged.  But besides these there was only Ella Stanfield whose age would bring her into contact with Daisy; and Daisy, very much of late accustomed to being alone or with older people, looked with some doubtfulness at the prospect of having a young companion to entertain.  With that exception, and it hardly made one, nothing could look brighter in the distance than Silver Lake.

Several days passed between Daisy’s giving the note to her father and the one fixed on for the expedition.  In all that time Daisy was left to guess whether or not it had been seen and read by him.  No sign or token told her; there was none; and Daisy could only conclude that he must have seen it, because he could not very well help doing so.  But she was not at all discouraged.  Rather the contrary; seeing that certainly her father was not displeased with her.

In all these days too, Mr. Randolph had ample time and chance to observe Daisy’s action which had so disturbed her mother at meal times.  Yet hitherto he had never spoken of it.  In fact it was so quietly done that often the moment escaped him; and at other times, Daisy’s manner so asked for a shield rather than a trumpet, and the little face that looked up from being covered with her hand was so bright and sweet, that perhaps his heart shrank from saying anything that would change the expression.  At any rate, Daisy had been safe thus far.

Great preparations were making for the Silver Lake day.  Thursday it was to be.  Wednesday evening Dr. Sandford was at Melbourne.  Daisy was considering the arrangements of a little packed basket of her own.

“Are you expecting to have a good time to-morrow, Daisy?” he asked.  Daisy smiled as she said yes.

“But you will have to keep quiet.  I shall not let you run about like the rest.”

“I can sit quiet and look at the lake,” said Daisy; with so absolutely contented a face that the doctor smiled.

“But in parties of pleasure, do you know, my friend, it generally happens that people cannot do what they expected to do?”

“Then I can do something else,” said Daisy, looking very fearless of anything disagreeable.

“Will you let your old friend, Nora Dinwiddie, join the party?”

“Nora!  O is Nora coming?” exclaimed Daisy.

“Mrs. Sandford commissioned me to make the enquiry, Mrs. Randolph, whether one more would be too many?  Her little relation, Daisy’s friend I believe, has returned to her for the rest of the season.”

“Certainly!” Mrs. Randolph said,—­“there was room for everybody.”  The lady’s manner told nothing; but nevertheless Daisy did not venture to shew her joy.  She did not say another word about Nora.  The hour of meeting was determined, and the doctor withdrew.  Daisy looked over the contents of her basket again with fresh satisfaction, made sure that all was right and everything there; and went to bed happy.